Four of the five Paonia town board candidates attended a recent candidate forum hosted by the Delta County Independent. Present were Paonia Trustee Paige Smith, who is running for the mayor's office uncontested, current Trustee Kathy Swartz and citizens William Brunner and Walter Czech who are running for three open trustee seats. Write-in candidate Linda McCone was absent from the forum. All present candidates say working on water infrastructure is the top priority. The municipal election is April 2nd.
Several Mesa County Valley School District 51 staff will receive more than $15,000 in professional learning grants from the District 51 Foundation. The D51 Foundation has awarded over $140,000 in grants since 2018 for professional learning. This year, foundation funds will be used to invest in technology and innovation for students, provide professional learning for D51 staff, and support student and staff wellness.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife plans to stock sterile walleye in the reservoir at Ridgway State Park this spring. CPW Officials say the move is part of a larger goal to increase angling opportunities in western Colorado in a way that is compatible with the native species of the Upper Colorado River Basin.
Last week, the Wyoming State Legislature passed a bill banning most gender affirming care for minors. This came just over a week after residents of Jackson held a vigil to honor a non-binary teenager from Oklahoma whose recent death has resonated across the country.
Nex Benedict died in late February after reportedly being beaten by a group of girls in a high school bathroom - though law enforcement are still investigating the cause of death.
Dozens of people in Jackson gathered in the freezing cold to honor Nex’s life and bring attention to legislation that may dial back more rights of LGBTQ + people and kids in the U.S. and Wyoming. For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, K-H-O-L's Hanna Merzbach has more.
